Various initiatives and governmental regulations have been promulgated to address fuel efficiency and emission content of machines powered by internal combustion engines. Among other things, such regulations have required a reduction in the sulfur content in diesel and other fossil fuels used for internal combustion engines. For example, the Environmental Protection Agency of the United States established reduced sulfur requirements for diesel fuel for trucks, buses and other heavy-duty equipment that begin to take effect in 2007. Other government laws and regulations have created programs to improve the efficiency and/or emissions of older diesel engines. In these contexts, various requirements have thus limited the permitted sulfur content in diesel and other fossil fuels.
With the promulgation of these governmental regulations and standards, equipment manufacturers have developed engine components to operate within the guidelines. For example, the introduction of Ultra-low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD) fuel allows lower emissions, as do other renewable fuels and fuel products such as biodiesel and emulsifier additives. When these newer engine components are subjected to high levels of sulfur content in the fuel, they may be susceptible to undue wear and even failure over time. This is particularly true for the emission systems of such engines.
Accordingly, while various regulations have been implemented, there have been inadequate facilities for the detection of high sulfur content in fuels for internal combustion engines. This is particularly true in the case of vehicles used to transport goods such as highway trucks and the like.